Charcuterie boards were originally borrowed from the French and lately it seems they’ve evolved to the next mouth-watering, over the top level.
While the word itself refers to the tradition and art of preparing and assembling cured meats and meat products, these days it can be preparing and assembling delectable boards of a whole kitchen sink range of goodies. With summer here, the boards also have a fresh and easy summer vibe.
Before getting to the fun part, think about your basics – who are you feeding, what are you feeding, and where are you feeding them? Are your guests adults or kids or a mixed crowd? How many of them are there? Will the board be out for guests before a full dinner, be a full dinner itself or serve as nibbles between meals? With the hot summer weather, you’ll also want to give some consideration on whether you’ll be outside by the pool or if you’ll be hosting inside with air conditioning.
While charcuterie boards likely made an appearance at your winter and holidays parties, in the summer it is a fun time to veer away from heavier flavors by using in season fruits and veggies as stars of the show.
Cool down this summer by cubing up one melon or a variety, whether cantaloupe, honeydew or watermelon. You could also add some visual interest using a melon baller (or a cookie dough scooper) to pile up cute fruit balls. Heading to a patriotic fete? Try a star cookie cutter.
It’s rare to find a fruit that doesn’t play well with others, so don’t be afraid to load up all the berries, from blue to black to strawberry to raspberry. Grapes, stone fruits, kiwi and more make a beautiful spread with their colors and textures and can be a simple crowd pleaser with a fruit dip or two (or three) of your choice.
If you’re going for a summer version of a traditional board with cheeses, explore options that will match your fresh fruit. Peaches, nectarines or cherries go with a wide range, from cheddar to gouda to cottage cheese while mozzarella cheese accompanies berries well. Crisp apples and pears pair with swiss. Melons pair surprisingly well with blue or feta cheese, which holds its texture when sprinkled on top. While you can certainly layer items on your board in most cases, try to seperate soft cheese and juicy fruits so both can stay their best.
Another classic summer flavor profile that works well on a board is Caprese salad. Slice up fresh local tomatoes, add marinated olives and cheese, pepperoni, salami, and arugula. Add in crisp bruschetta or a pile of chilled tortellini to make it even heartier.
Prep your fruit and veggies to be easy to grab. If you have a variety of dips for people to gather round, make sure your carrots are longer sticks or perhaps instead of slicing your cucumbers into thin chip like slices, maybe you cut vertically into spears. If adding on grapes, cut into small, easy to grab bunches.
Since the flavors are left simple, the ingredients really have the option to stand out in the purest form. Take the time to shop local at Eastern Shore orchards, farm stands and dairy shops to have the freshest, mouth-watering flavors. It also offers a chance to try out the newest cheese the cheese maker is developing, whether it’s Old Bay infused, has hints of herbs or a tinge of lemon. Chances are they can also recommend what their cheese pairs best with, as no one knows it better than them.
Another simple enhancement is a drizzle of local honey. One unlikely but amazing combination to try it with is goat cheese and peaches. Or if it’s a grown-up party, spike a fruit such as pineapple with a local rum and set in a small bowl or rameken.
For a crunch factor, nuts and seeds add a filling flavor and texture, plus they are good in all temperatures. Whether Chili lime, Old Bay or smoked, the nuts that made your winter charcuterie warm and toasty can feel light and crunchy in the summer months.
If you are looking to serve a fun version of a complete meal, there are plenty of options that don’t include heating up your kitchen. Grill up your proteins like sausages or brats, shrimp, steak and other meats and cut up to be grabbable or consider popping on skewers. To accompany, marinate and toss on some squash, asparagus, mushrooms, or even corn on the cob that’s been sliced. Finish off your board with some cheese, dips and some crunch and you’ve taken a simple grilled meal and made it a fun summer feast.
Go even simpler and arrange burgers or hot dogs with spreads, cheeses, pickles, mushrooms and more. Have a make your own deli sandwich feast with a variety of meats, cheeses, peppers and condiments. Serve a twist on Mexican night with tortillas, taco shells, bowls of ground beef or shredded chicken and all the toppings so your crowd can personalize their own Fajitas or tacos.
The board doesn’t have to have the complete meal on it either. Summer is a great time for pasta salads so perhaps each family member gets their own bowl of cool pasta and can grab cucumbers, salads, cheeses, bacon crumbles from the board. Or keep the pasta hot and your dinner guests can grab some yummy sauteed veggies, mushrooms, sliced link sausage or brats or cubed grilled meat. It can also work with a greens salad, where each person gets a bowl of salad and tops from an impressive charcuterie board with toppings like hard boiled eggs, dried cranberries, nuts and seeds and the like.
Another hearty yet light and easy summer meal theme is loaded baked potato night. Wrap up some potatoes on the grill and build a board with toppings like cheese, sour cream, bacon crumbles, mushrooms, diced tomatoes and more. Or go with sweet potatoes with marshmallows, raisins and brown sugar as topping choices. If you need butter, cube it or purchase butter balls so guests can easily grab a serving, but put it near other chilled toppings.
You can finish the night off with a board too. S’mores, arguably the perfect summer dessert, lend nicely to being presented on a board. A few different kinds of crackers, different flavored marshmallows, and a variety of chocolates from the classic bars to peanut butter cups and you have a “s’more-gasboard.” Toss on some fresh strawberries and other sweet fruits with some melted chocolate to dip in. No fire? Bring a board with spreadable marshmallow fluff.
Having a movie night? Layer up a board of popcorn, pretzels and candies and snuggle in!
There are so many fun flavor profiles for every occasion you are sure to find yourself reaching for a board all season long. While assembly is easiest at your own home of course, they are still an ideal candidate for the summer party circuit! Prepare at home by preslicing, dicing and cubing all your items and do a quick and basic trial run to make sure your space is adequate. From there, bag up separately to keep ingredients fresh and able to throw in a cooler if needed. If you have any dips or juicy items, be sure to grab the bowls or cups you’ll put them in, along with a spoon to prepare and serve as well as skewers, toothpicks or tongs for easy group serving. You will be set up for quick prep success with minimal invasion on your hostess, who will likely think you also have the mostest.
Regardless of whether you serve food at home or are a guest elsewhere, don’t toss the bags or jars if they are reusable and resealable. Depending on the traffic your board gets you may choose to save some ingredients to throw into recipes for the rest of the week.
Not only will guests flock to your board, the flies will as well. Be prepared with an oversized fly dome to keep them out of your irresistible arrangement.
Charcuterie boards are a good “recipe” to have in your repertoire, no matter if it’s the 1000th meal you’ve served your children, an easy lunch you pull out for your houseguests or the star of the show at a dinner party.
In the summer snacking season, they allow each person to eat what they want in the amount they need and look delectable doing it.
Which fun combination will you make first?